Page 230 - Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated) and Symbols
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‘No, World Honoured One, the Tathagata should not be

             so perceived. Why? Because the Buddha says the completely

            perfect  rupa-kaya  is  not,  but  is  called  the  completely  perfect

            rupa-kaya.’

                  ‘Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Tathagata be perceived

            by His completely perfect forms?’

                  ‘No,  World  Honoured  One,  the  Tathagata  should  not  be


             so perceived, because the Tathagata says the completely perfect

            forms are not, but are called completely perfect forms.’

                  ‘Subhuti, do not say that the Tathagata thinks: “I must ex-

            pound the Dharma”. Do not have such a thought. Why? Because

            if someone says so, he will really slander the Buddha and be un-

            able to understand my teaching. Subhuti, when (the Tathagata)

            expounds the Dharma, there is really no Dharma to teach: but

            this is (expediently) called teaching the Dharma.’

                  en the wise Subhuti said to the Buddha: ‘World Honoured


            One, will there be in future ages living beings who will believe

            this Dharma when they hear it?’

                  e Buddha said: ‘Subhuti, the living beings (you just men-

            tioned) are neither living nor not-living beings. Why? Because,

            Subhuti, the Tathagata says these living beings are not (really),

            but they are (expediently), called living beings.’

                  Subhuti said to the Buddha: ‘World Honoured One, does


            your  (own)  attainment  of  Supreme  Enlightenment  (Anuttara-

             samyak-sambodhi)  mean  that  you  have  not  gained  anything

            whatsoever?’

                  e  Buddha  replied:  ‘Just  so,  Subhuti,  just  so,  I  have  not

            gained  even  the  least  Dharma  from  Supreme  Enlighten-

            ment, and this is called Supreme Enlightenment. Furthermore,




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